San Miguel celebrates 70 years in Tucumán and aims to continue growing

By Pablo Plá

CEO of San Miguel Global

La Gaceta de Tucumán

April 29, 2024

Founded on December 22, 1954, S.A. San Miguel celebrates 70 years of uninterrupted work in Tucumán. Since its establishment in the province, the company has grown steadily and has taken Tucumán as part of its DNA.

In its business development, it acquired more land, invested in technology, and built a new plant in the city of Famaillá, from where it now exports natural lemon derivatives with high added value worldwide.

Since 2019, the company processes 240,000 tons of lemons annually, providing direct employment to 1,800 collaborators throughout its production chain (agricultural, harvesting, and industrial).

In 2022, S.A San Miguel decided to make a strategic change, focusing on the industrial business of lemon processing to produce concentrated juice, essential oil, and dehydrated lemon peel, among other products. It thus became the world's number one industrial lemon processor, with the pride of having the largest production capacity from its plant in Famaillá.

Investment as a spearhead

Focus on investment is one of the company's key pillars. In the last four years, the company invested a total of 18 million dollars in its operation in Tucumán, and in 2024, it will invest 4.4 million dollars, projecting to invest an additional 20 million dollars over the next 5 years.

Funds are allocated to technology, research and development, infrastructure, environment, and improvement of agricultural practices. The continuity of investments clearly marks the long-term commitment that San Miguel S.A. has to the province.

The company has 2,200 hectares of its own land. 450 of them are new plantations from 1 to 3 years old, and it plans an annual renewal of 150 hectares in its estates to keep its plants in full productivity. This renewal is supplied by its nursery of more than 50,000 plants per year, which includes state-of-the-art technology with innovative practices and also supplies other producers in the area.

Furthermore, the company is and will continue to be the main buyer of third-party fruit, acquiring an average of 100,000 tons per year from 35 small and medium-sized producers throughout the province, representing more than 4,000 hectares of lemons.

Sustainable growth

The company is a world leader in processing and marketing natural ingredients and besides being present in Tucumán, it has operations in Uruguay and South Africa. Given the complex situation of the international market, the company has been successfully undergoing a restructuring of its financial structure for the past three years.

It has successfully issued negotiable obligations in the Argentine market and refinanced its debt successfully. Last week, the company injected a multimillion-dollar amount into the market through the subscription of shares by its current owners and new national and foreign investors.

The company will continue to work with pride and commitment every day, and looking to the future, it hopes to celebrate its 100th birthday in the province that welcomed them so well and continues to support them.